Sofa bed

ABSTRACT

1,099,578. Bed-settees. W. J. STEFFAN. May 17, 1966, No. 21945/66. Heading A4J. In a bed-settee of the kind having four interconnected sections 32a, 34a, 36a and 38a collapsing by folding into a settee body, a wire fabric mattress support 40 is clamped, by two strips 58 and 60, to a rigid board (36b), thus providing even tension across the width of the foot section. Tension springs 116, acting through links 112 and 110, assist the initial unfolding of the bed, while rollers 120 run along a board (20) covering the base of the settee body. Struts 96 support foldable legs 66 through sliding collars 100. Detachable clamps (126) urge sections 34a and 38a together in the folded position.

Oct. 11, 1966 w. J. STEFFAN 3,277,503

SOFA BED Filed Oct. 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 aH'er .Sf'effan IN VEN TOR. A;m%% 562aQ Affys.

Oct. 11, 1966 w. J. STEFFAN SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1964 mm 5. k3 m H L @K M G Y WK .mlm. I N

United States Patent Ofi ice 3,217,503 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 3,277,503 SOFA BED Walter J. Stetfan, 12600 SE. Kelly, Portland, Oreg. Filed Oct. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 400,655 6 Claims. (Cl. -31) This invention relates to sofa beds. More particularly, it relates to a sofa bed of the type including a sectional bed frame adapted to be folded up and contained in a sofa body when the unit is used as a sofa, which extends out to convert the unit to a bed.

A disadvantage characterizing many prior known sofa beds is a lack of compactness in the collapsed bed frame. This has resulted in such units being readily identifiable by their appearance as sofa beds, and in a lack of styling and poor proportion, when the units are converted for use as ordinary sofas. For example, such a unit when converted to ordinary sofa use may have sofa cushions carried abnormally high off the floor, arms which are thick and bulky, or a generally massive and heavy appearance. Another disadvantage of known constructions is that the collapsed depth of the bed frame in a unit may be so great that the units bottom must be very close to the floor in order to hide the bed frame when the unit is converted to a sofa. The result is a very small space between the base of the unit and the floor, making it difficult to clean under the unit. M-ost sofa beds have required open bottoms under the sofa body (to enable opening up of the sofa bed), and with such open bottoms dust is enabled to collect in the inside of the sofa body and on the bed frame. Other disadvantages of known units include difficulty in lifting a folded bed frame out of a sofa body and then extending it, lack of stability in the extended bed frame, and insufficient support provided for any fpersons sitting on the unit when the unit is serving as a so a.

A general object of this invention is to provide a novel sofa bed which is practical and in general free of the drawbacks above indicated as present in conventional units.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel sofa bed including sofa body and extensible bed frame which permits a well-proportioned, stylish construction in the sofa body.

A further object is to provide an improved sofa bed featuring a sectional bed frame which is held compactly when the unit is used as a sofa.

Yet another object is to provide a sofa bed which permits construction of a sofa body wherein the bottom of the sofa body may be completely enclosed, and elevated a normal distance above the floor.

More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide novel means for clamping and holding compacted folded bed sections in a sofa bed.

Another object is to provide novel means wherein uniform tension at all times is maintained in link fabric spanning a foot section in a sectional bed frame, such foot section providing rugged, nonsagging support for persons sitting on the unit when the bed frame is folded up and assisting in compressing and compacting a. folded mattress in the unit.

A further object is the provision of novel means that assists in lifting up a folded bed frame during initial ex tension of the bed frame.

Another object is the provision of novel means supporting a sectional bed frame when the same is extended, featuring struts slidable on a support for the bed frame.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the invention, and the same is described hereinbelow in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a foldable sofa bed which embodies this invention with a sectional bed frame therein in an extended position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the sofa bed shown in FIG. 1, with a sofa body in the sofa bed shown in cross section;

BIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the sectional bed frame folded up and within the confines of the sofa body; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, but showing the sectional bed frame partially extended.

Referring now to the drawings, the outline of a sofa body is indicated generally at 10. In the embodiment illustrated, such body includes a board 12 extending along the back of the sofa adjacent the floor, a back 14, arms 16 adjacent either end of the sofa body, and a board 18 paralleling board 12 extending across the front of the sofa body. Ssecured to boards 12, 1-8 and under the sofa body is a bottom piece 20. Legs 22 fastened to frame pieces 24 adjacent each end of the sofa body support the body above the floor.

Under each arm of the sofa body and fastened to the body by means of fasteners 26 is a frame plate 28. These frame plates mount a sectional bed frame indicated generally at 30 supported between the frame plates.

Bed frame 30 comprises multiple sections identified as head section 32, rearward intermediate section 34, forward intermediate section 36, and foot section 38, all piv-otally interconnected together. In FIG. 3, the bed frame is shown in a folded-up position and in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frame is shown fully extended. Connected to the various frame sections and held taut with the sectional bed frame extended is link fabric indicated generally at 40.

Head section 32 is formed of an elongated tubular pieces 32a with ends bent at substantially right angles to a central portion. Forming section 34 are a pair of opposed elongated tubular pieces 34a extending along the side of the sectional bed frame and a bar 34b extending transversely of the bed frame interconnecting the pieces adjacent their forward ends. The head and rearward intermediate sections are pivo-tally interconnected at 42. Section 36 comprises a pair of opposed channel pieces 36a interconnected by a board 36b fastened to the channel pieces by nut and bolt assemblies 44. The two intermediate sections are pivotally connected together by pivot connections 46. Foot section 38 is formed from an elongated tubular piece 33a with ends extending at right angles to a central portion similar .to piece 32a in the head section, and the foot section is pivotally connected to the forward intermediate section by pivot connections Link fabric 40 which spans the head, rearward intermediate, forward intermediate, and foot sections may be a continuous piece of well-known construction. Coil springs 50 connect the fabric to the sectional bed frame. At the forward end of foot section 38 is a foot bar 52 including plate 521: and board portion 52b. Link fabric 40 is attached to this foot piece by any suitable means such as staples shown at 56. The staples and coil springs function when the sectional bed frame is extended to stretch the link fabric tightly laterally and longitudinally within the bed frame.

In FIG. 1, and shown at 58, is an elongated strip overlying board 36b with the top thereof under the link fabric which extends thereover. An elongated clamp bar extending over the link fabric in FIG. 1 and joined through the strip to the board underneath as by fasteners 62 distributed along the length of the clamp bar functions to anchor the link fabric at points distributed across the bed frame at the location of pivot connections 48, joining the foot and forward intermediate bed sections. This anchoring of the fabric at points distributed between the sides of the bed enables the fabric in the foot section to be held stretched tightly over the foot section with the bed extended. With the bed frame collapsed as will be discussed in greater detail later, board 3612 is positioned under and adjacent the front of the sofa body, and the connection of the fabric to the board enablesthe fabric to be held tightly under the usual cushions which are placed thereover to convert the unit into a sofa. Further, the anchoring produces better compaction of any mattress in the unit with the unit serving as a sofa.

The sectional bed frame is supported, when in its extended position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, by means of legs or supports 66, 68. Support 66, as shown, comprises an elongated tubular piece with ends bent at substantially right angles to a central portion 66a and pivotally connected to the rearward intermediate section of the bed frame by pivot connections 70. Support 68 comprises a similar piece with center portion 68a pivotally connected to the foot section by pivot connections 72. An elongated block 74 extending across the sofa body to the rear of board 18 supports the bed frame by supporting the underside of bar 34b.

The sectional bed frame is anchored to frame plates 28 adjacent the arms of the sofa body through pieces 76 pivotally connected to frame plates 28 as by pivot connections 78 .and pivotally connected to the head section by pivot connections 80-.

When the sectional bed frame is unfolded from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the extended position shown in FIG. 2, linkage structure interconnecting the various bed frame sections and interposed between the sectional bed frame and the sofa body operates to adjust the positions of legs or supports 66, 68 whereby they project downwardly from the bed frame to support it. Further describing this linkage structure, cars 82 secured to channel pieces 36a on either side of the bed frame have links 84 pivotal-1y connected thereto at 86, and such links are pivotally connected to the opposite ends of support 68 by pivot connections 88. With the foot section overlying section 34 of the bed frame as in FIG. 4 and on swinging of the foot section to a position aligned with the head section 32, these links swing support 68 below the bed frame as shown in FIG. 2. Support 66 is unfolded through elongated links 90 on either side of the bed frame pivotally connected to the ends of the support at 92 and connected to the head section of the bed frame by pivot connections 94.

Stabilizing support 66 with the bed frame extended are opposed struts 96, one on either side of the bed frame, each pivotally connected to a channel piece as at 98, and have a sleeve 100 pivotallyconnected at 102 to its lower extremity, which is slidable along the length of an end of support 66. -A stop, defining a bottomed position for each sleeve 100, is provided on support 66 adjacent each side of the bed, and such is shown at 104. With the bed frame extended and a downward force applied thereon, the frame is prevented from causing legs 66 to collapse by the struts described. On folding up of the bed, however, the slidable connection enables the support to swing clockwise relative to the bed section in FIG. 2, thus to produce collapse of the various parts.

Shown connected to elongated links 90 are restraining ears 106 which overlie rearward extremities of pieces 34a forming section 34. Inward portions of these ears tend to inhibit angular displacement of the head section in the sectional bed frame relative to the rest of the frame, with the frame extended.

-A feature of this invention is the provision of novel means biasing parts in the sectional bed frame and associated linkage, whereby partial extension of the bed frame from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4 is assisted, and whereby with such partial extension there is partial unfolding of the supports from the fully collapsed state that they have in FIG. 3. Further describing this biasing means and associated structure, adjacent each side of the bed frame and pivotally connected to the link at either side, at .108, is a link 110. Each link is pivotally connected to another link 112, which link is pivotally connected at 114m one of the frame plates 28 provided at opposite ends of the sofa body. A compression spring shown at 116 extends from the pivot connection 1 1 1 pivotally connecting links and 112 to board 12 which forms part of the sofa body. With the sectional bed frame folded up as in FIG. 3, the springs are extended, links 110, 11-12 adjacent each side of the sectional bed frame being in such a position as to move pivots 1*11 closely adjacent a forward part of the sofa body. The spring collapses somewhat with partial extension of the bed to the position shown in FIG. 4, and further collapses on complete extension of the bed frame.

Rollers 120 journaled on either side of the bed frame adjacent where the head and rearward intermediate sections are pivotally connected are shown which seat on ledges 122 formed in back board 12, with the bed frame folded up. These rollers, during extension of the bed frame travel on top surface portions of bottom piece 20, and thus serve to guide portions of the bed frame during extension.

Shown in dashed outline in the various drawings is a conventional mattress 124. This mattress is folded up with the bed frame collapsed, and then includes a head portion extending vertically upwardly adjacent the rear of the bed.

With the sectional bed frame folded up as in FIG. 3, the underside of the foot section provides support for the usual cushions or pillow-s which complete the unit as a sofa. Support for the foot section is rendered by block 74 adjacent the forward part of the sofa body, upon which rests center portion 68a of support 68 which extends across the bed frame. The foot section is supported along the rear of the sofa body through the mattress which is folded up under the foot section, the rearward intermediate section which supports the underside of the bottom layer of the mattress, and rollers 120 which rest on ledges 1122. With this support it is important that the foot section and forward intermediate section be clamped tightly together adjacent the back of the sofa body with the parts collapsed or folded up. For this reason; detachable clamps 126 are contemplated, one for each side of the sectional bed frame, which extend between the foot and intermediate sections and function to tie these sections tightly together. Each clamp has turned over upper and lower ends, shown by the dashed outline in FIG. 3 at 126a, which fit over the tubular pieces forming the foot and intermediate sec-tions, respectively. The clamps are put in place by snugly folding the foot section over the intermediate section prior to complete collapse of the bed, and snapping the ends of the clamps over the pieces in the bed sections, and during the remainder of collapse in the bed frame.

Canvas piece 128 may be included on the underside of foot section 38, suitably secured in place, which provides a cog/er over the bed frame with the unit converted to a so a.

Generally describing the operation of the sofa bed, with the sectional bed frame folded up and the sofa bed converted for sofa use, the head section extends vertically upwardly adjacent the rear of the bed, the foot section overlies the intermediate sections, and forward intermediate section 36 is generally in an upstanding position adjacent the forward part of the soft bed. The clamps snugly tie the foot and rearward intermediate sections together adjacent opposite sides of the bed frame. Firm support is provided for any sofa cushions placed on the underside of the foot section, which is now facing upwardly, by the link fabric which is uniformly tensioned be tween foot bar 52 and board 36b. Rollers 120 seating in ledges 1'22 provide support adjacent the back of the sofa bed, and supporting forward portions of the foot section adjacent the front of the sofa bed is block 74.

To start extension or unfolding of the sectional bed frame, the various parts are lifted to shift the bed frame into the position shown in FIG. 4. Springs .116 partly collapse assisting this initial unfolding of the sectional bed frame. The head section moves downwardly to a substantially horizontal position and is guided by links 76 and rollers 1 20. Further there is partial unfolding of support 66 through the linkage srtuct-ure connected to this support.

The sectional bed frame may then be fully extended by lifting support 66 over the board 18 and drawing out the parts whereby the head and rearward intermediate bed sections become horizontal. Support 66 then extends downwardly from the rearward intermediate section. At this time the clamps 126 may be removed tying the foot to the forward intermediate section, by pressing downwardly on the foot section whereby the ends may be snapped out of place. This frees the foot section to be swung out into alignment with the rest of the bed frame, together with the forward intermediate section. With this final swinging out of the foot section, support 68 swings downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 1. Further, the struts on either side of the bed drop downwardly against stops 4 firmly to brace support 66.

To fold up the sectional bed frame the process just described in reversed. In general terms, the foot section is swung over the forward intermediate section, the two sections are clamped together and the parts are then moved to the position shown in FIG. 3.

It should be obvious that the construction contemplated has several advantages. A foot section with the bed frame folded up includes link fabric tightly held adjacent the forward and rear parts of the sofa body, and uniform tension is applied across this fabric between the arms of the sofa body. Thus, there are no sagging tendencies, even after extensive use. The parts are considerably more compact when folded up as in FIG. 3 than in most prior-known constructions. Contributing to this compactness is the means contemplated 'for tensioning the fabric in the foot section, and the means contemplated for clamping the foot section to the rearward intermediate section. The bottom piece provides a guide facilitating unfolding of the parts. With the sectional frame folded up and during partial extension, there is no projection of parts below the bottom piece. The bottom piece is elevated from the floor, and thus cleaning is facilitated.

While an embodiment of the invention has been described, it is appreciated that changes and variations may be made without departing therefrom. It is desired to cover all such modifications of the invention as would be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that come within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a foldable sofa bed adapted to carry a mattress a sofa body, and an extensible folded-up bed frame for supporting the mattress mounted on said body and confined within said body,

said bed frame including pivotally interconnected sections which fold out on extension, and which include an upper section overlying a lower section with the bed frame folded up and within said body,

clamp means extending between said upper and said lower frame section with the bed frame collapsed, operating to draw the frame sections tightly together with clamping together of folds of a mattress carried by the sofa bed between the frame sections, saidclamp means being operatively releasable from at least one of said frame sections to enable extension of the bed frame, and

support means in said sofa body supporting said lower frame section, said upper section being supported on said lower section through the mattress lodged between the sections, said clamp means preventing said upper section from moving away from said lower section.

2. The foldable sofa bed of claim 1, where the sofa body includes a sofa back and wherein said upper section is substantially horizontal and extends over the top of the bed frame with the frame folded up forwardly of the sofa back, said support means comprises a rest supporting the underside of said lower frame section at points below the sofa back adjacent opposite ends of the sofa body, and said clamp means includes a pair of clamps, one on each side of the sofa body, drawing the frame sections together.

3. A foldable sofa bed comprising a sofa body, and an extensible folded-up bed frame mounted on said body having a mattress extending over one side thereof and confined within said body,

said bed frame including a foot section, a forward in termediate section toward the head of the bed frame from and pivotally connected to said foot section, a rearward intermediate section toward the head of the bed frame from and pivotally connected to said forward intermediate section, and a head section pivotally connected to said rearward intermediate section, said sections folding out on extension, and said foot section overlying the rearward intermediate section with the mattress folded therein between and with the bed frame folded up and within said body,

a clamp on each side of the bed frame extending between said foot section and said rearward intermediate section with the bed frame collapsed operating to draw the frame sections tightly together with clamping of the mattress between the sections, said clamps being operatively releasable from at least one of said frame sections to enable extension of the bed frame, and

means in said sofa body adjacent the rear of said sofa bed supporting said rearward intermediate section, and through said rearward intermediate section supporting the overlying foot section which is drawn thereagainst by said clamps.

4. A foldable sofa bed comprising a sofa body and an extensible folded-up bed frame mounted on said body and confined Within said body, said bed frame including a foot section with a transverse foot bar forming the foot of the bed frame, an intermediate section toward the head of the bed frame from the foot section, another section toward the head of the frame from said intermediate section, and pivot means interconnecting the various sections, said bed frame having its foot section overlying said other section and said intermediate section uprightly disposed along the forward part of the sofa body with the frame folded up and within said body,

link fabric spanning the bed frame and means attach ing the fabric to the bed frame,

said bed frame further including a stiff transverse frame member extending between the sides of the bed frame adjacent the pivot means connecting said foot and intermediate sections,

said means attaching said link fabric to the bed frame including means fastening the fabric to said stiff transverse frame member and said foot bar at points distributed along the lengths thereof, whereby in said foot section between said foot bar and said transverse frame member uniform tension is maintained in the fabric across the entire width of the bed.

5. A foldable sofa bed comprising a sofa body and an extensible folded-up bed frame for supporting a mattress mounted on said body and confined Within said body,

said bed frame including a foot section with a transverse foot bar forming the foot of the bed frame, a forward intermediate section toward the head of the bed frame from and pivotally connected to said foot section, a rearward intermediate section toward the head of the bed frame from and pivotally connected to said forward intermediate section, and a head section pivotally connected to said rearward intermediate section,

said bed frame having its foot section overlying said rearward intermediate section, and said intermediate section uprightly disposed along the forward part of the sofa body with the frame folded up,

link fabric spanning the bed frame and means attaching the fabric to the bed frame, and

clamps extending between said foot section and said rearward intermediate section on each side of the bed frame operating to draw the frame sections tightly together thereby to compress such a mattress, said clamp means being operatively releasable from at least one of said frame sections to enable extension of the bed frame,

said bed frame further including a stiif transverse frame member extending between the sides of the bed frame adjacent the pivot means connecting said foot and intermediate section,

said means attaching said link fabric to the bed frame including means fastening the fabric to said stiff transverse frame member and foot bar at points distributed along the lengths thereof, whereby in said foot section between said foot bar of the section and said transverse frame member, uniform tension is maintained in the fabric across the entire width of the bed, said link fabric in said foot section with the bed frame folded up thus assisting said clamps in compressing such a mattress.

6. A foldable sofa bed comprising a sofa body and an extensible folded-up bed frame for supporting a mattress mounted on said body and confined within said body,

said bed frame including a foot section forming the foot of the bed frame, another section toward the head of the bed frame from and pivotally connected to the foot section, and a third section toward the head of the bed frame from and pivotally connected to said other section,

a support for supporting the bed frame when extended pivotally connected to said third section,

an elongated tension spring having one end anchored to a rear portion of the rear of the sofa body,

linkage means comprising pivotally interconnected links interconnecting said bed frame and said sofa body at a point in said body disposed forwardly of said rear portion of the sofa body, said linkage means operating to shift the support to a position supporting the bed frame on extension of the bed frame,

an anchoring point on said linkage means disposed forwardly of said rear portion of the softa body which moves toward said rear portion of the sofa body on extension of the bed frame,

and anchoring means anchoring the end of said tension spring opposite its said one end to said anchoring point, said spring being under tension throughout extension of the bed frame and constantly biasing said support to a position supporting the bed frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 570,341 10/1896 Sample 5-203 1,583,919 5/1926 Flora 24-23 2,759,198 8/1956 Mednick 5-31 2,770,814 11/1956 Schindler 5-13 2,827,640 3/1958 Goodman 5-13 2,975,433 3/1961 Coopersmith et al. 5-13 X 3,083,845 4/ 1963 Kuster 24-23 X 3,089,151 5/1963 Sevcik 5-111 X FOREIGN PATENTS 500,838 3/1954 Canada.

1,269,778 7/1961 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. B. FARLEY, C. A. NUNBERG, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A FOLDABLE SOFA BED ADAPTED TO CARRY A MATTRESS A SOFA BODY, AND AN EXTENSIBLE FOLDED-UP BED FRAME FOR SUPPORTING THE MATTRESS MOUNTED ON SAID BODY AND CONFINED WITHIN SAID BODY, SAID BED FRAME INCLUDING PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTED SECTIONS WHICH FOLD OUT ON EXTENSION, AND WHICH INCLUDE AN UPPER SECTION OVERLYING A LOWER SECTION WITH THE BED FRAME FOLDED UP AND WITHIN SAID BODY, CLAMP MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND SAID LOWER FRAME SECTION WITH THE BED FRAME COLLAPSED, OPERATING TO DRAW THE FRAME SECTIONS TIGHTLY TOGETHER WITH CLAMPING TOGETHER OF FOLDS OF A MATTRESS CARRIED BY THE SOFA BED BETWEEN THE FRAME SECTIONS, SAID CLAMP MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY RELEASABLE FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FRAME SECTIONS TO ENABLE EXTENSION OF THE BED FRAME, AND SUPPORT MEANS IN SAID SOFA BODY SUPPORTING SAID LOWER FRAME SECTION, SAID UPPER SECTION BEING SUPPORTED ON SAID LOWER SECTION THROUGH THE MATTRESS LODGED BETWEEN THE SECTIONS, SAID CLAMP MEANS PREVENTING SAID UPPER SECTION FROM MOVING AWAY FROM SAID LOWER SECTION. 